Sanford Middle School Counseling Department Head Angela Avery recently took center stage at the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) national conference in Kansas City, Missouri.
Avery was the sole representative from Maine presenting this year and shared valuable insights on two critical topics: suicide prevention and effective group counseling techniques for middle school students.
The ASCA conference, held from July 13-16, brought together 4,500-5,000 school counselors from across the United States and worldwide. With 200 breakout sessions available, attendees had the opportunity to learn from a diverse range of experts in the field.
Avery presented two well-attended sessions. The first, "Suicide Prevention For All Students," drew an audience of about 200 professionals. "This is the most important topic I believe all educators need to learn more about," Avery said. "There is a lot we can do to try to prevent our youth from considering suicide, and it's something we need to prioritize in our work with students."
The second session, "Epic Middle School Groups," attracted approximately 250 attendees. In this presentation, Avery discussed group counseling, a tier 2 intervention that school counselors provide in comprehensive school counseling programs. She shared her experience running groups with middle school students to help them learn coping skills through art, navigate family changes, and develop self-esteem and confidence skills.
"Groups are a great way to help students feel less alone with what they are going through," Avery explained. "They're an effective tier 2 intervention to support those who need more than the tier 1 intervention SEL classroom lessons we provide to all students."
This marks the third time Avery has presented at the national ASCA conference. She's also presented numerous times at state-level conferences in Maine and other states.
"It is an honor to have been selected to present at ASCA," Avery said. "It's a great way to share my experience and learn from other counselors around the country who are supporting students in various ways."